Controlling Varroa destructor Infesting Honey Bee Apis mellifera using Essential Oils as Diet Supplements and as Impregnated Paper

Abstract

The results showed that all the evaluated supplementary diets were found to be accepted by the bees. Colonies fed on the supplementary diets mixed with different essential oils were found to have more individual bees, increased values of sealed brood area, more number of frames covered with bees and encouraged queens to lay more eggs than the controlled colonies. Diet [A] which has been mixed with mint oil proved to be better to be offered to bees during winter followed by diets [C], [B] and [D]. Feeding on diet [A] gave the highest means of sealed brood area (1348.0±13.93 inch2), number of eggs/queen/day (1195.64±12.35 eggs) and number of frames covered with bee (9.0±0.00 frames/hive) in winter season of 2019/ 2020. The fallen mites increased in November when the colonies fed on diet (A) & (B) recording high mean numbers of 176.0 & 201.0 mites (effectiveness= 80.11 & 80.33% ) (2019 season) and 201.0 & 161.0 mites (effectiveness= 87.06 & 83.85% ) (2020 season), respectively. Thyme oil impregnated papers was proved to be more effective during February of both seasons recording effectiveness of 77.84 and 83.95%, followed by mint oil (75.16 and 81.37%, respectively), while mustard oil impregnated papers was proved to be the least effective. Residues of the evaluated essential oils in honey were absent and that because these compounds quickly decreased due to their volatility, thus there cannot be any food safety risk for the consumer.